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Erie PA News and Events for Wednesday September 21, 2005

The City of Erie laid-off six people on Tuesday and as many as sixty more could be gone by Friday. The city is running about a four million dollar deficit this year. The drop in the bucket action of laying off people should save around a half million to one million dollars. Almost 40 percent of the city is owned by non-profits and is tax exempt paying no property taxes.

MTR Gaming wants $37.5 million from Summit Township for site improvements at the soon to be built Presque Isle Downs Race Track and (slots only) Casino. For the past year or so MTR has asked for millions from the City of Erie, Summit Township and McKean Township to get the track built in their respective municipality. That didn’t work. They all said no. Now the tactic is give us money and the facility will be bigger thereby meaning more jobs and more taxable space. Groundbreaking for the racino might be by the end of September.

AirLink Express came to town a couple months ago with a proposal for lower rates for a daily route with stops in Erie, State College, Harrisburg and Philadelphia. The company is trying to gage demand. To participate in a survey, please visit www.flyairlinkexpress.com/survey.htm.

Spectrum Control (Nasdaq: SPEC) said that its New Orleans production facility appears to have been significantly damaged by Hurricane Katrina. The facility is used to manufacture ceramic capacitors used in the company’s electromagnetic interference products, Fairview, PA based Spectrum Control said. The company said it expects to salvage a majority of the manufacturing equipment, but the structural integrity of the building has been impaired. Additionally, certain inventories, equipment and furnishings were destroyed. The company maintains $40 million of windstorm insurance and $5 million of flood insurance on the facility, covering property and business interruption. Spectrum Control said it is has a strategic safety stock to meet several weeks of production needs.

There is a good story in the Oil City Derrick by Judith Etzel on the changes at the Clarion University Venango Campus in Oil City, PA. New student apartment buildings are going up every year, older buildings are being modernized, degree and certification programs have jumped and enrollment is soaring. Sounds like the Penn State Behrend blueprint for success and it’s not a coincidence that the dean at Oil City, Christopher Reber, was hired away from Behrend.

Riverview Intermediate Unit 6 named Chris Shofestull the RIU 2005 Employee of the Year. Shofestull teaches an emotional support class at Clarion Elementary School. She is a Mercyhurst College grad.

Mike Sawtelle was recently inducted into the hall of fame at Fairview High School. Sawtelle, who graduated from Fairview in 1980, was an all-conference offensive/defensive tackle and a state runner-up wrestler. He also wrestled at West Virginia University, where he was the first four-year starter in the wrestling team’s history. Sawtelle is the volleyball coach at Jensen Beach High School in FL.

The Lubbock Cotton Kings of the Central Hockey League signed defensemen Nolan Brown and Mike Kirby. Both attended Mercyhurst College but were not in the same graduating class. Brown has spent his entire 2 year pro career in the United Hockey League (UHL) with the Muskegon Fury. Kirby turns pro after closing out his college career at Mercyhurst last season.

The Columbus Blue Jackets have reassigned center Geoff Platt to Syracuse of the AHL. In 68 games with Erie Otters last season, Platt recorded 45 goals, 34 assists and 84 penalty minutes.

The 2005 Great Lakes Film Festival will be September 22-25 at the Roadhouse Theatre For Contemporary Art, 145 West 11th St, Erie PA. Join the GLFA at 9 pm on Wednesday September 21, 2005, as they will host their Film Fest Kick Off Party at the Docksider Tavern located at 1015 State Street. This event will feature national artist Lake Trout. The 24th Annual Wine Country Harvest Festival in North East, PA will be held September 23, 24 and 25, 2005. The festival features two venues, Gibson Park in the heart of downtown North East and Gravel Pit Park just 1 1/2 miles west of downtown. You’ll enjoy wine by the glass, tour buses to the five local wineries, Arts and Crafts, Main Stage Entertainment, a Children’s Area, Cruise in on Sunday, Bike Wine Country Tours, wine and food seminars, champagne breakfast and much more.

Posted by Dennis at September 21, 2005 6:29 AM

Comments

Posted by: Nick at September 21, 2005 11:20 AM

Posted by: Dennis at September 23, 2005 7:15 AM

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